Portable electronic devices are commonly used for communication and entertainment purposes. Portable electronic devices include devices such as smartphones, cellular phones, mobile communication devices, portable computers, tablet computers, cameras, video players, audio players, electronic media readers, two-way radios, global positioning satellite (GPS) devices, and/or other types of electronic computing or communication devices, including combinations thereof. Protective cases, covers, enclosures, or encasements are sometimes used with these types of electronic devices in order to protect the devices from damage due to exposure to shock, impact, dropping, puncture, dust, dirt, water, snow, rain, mud, chemicals, and/or other potentially damaging forces or elements.
The types of portable electronic devices and mobile computing devices described above are also sometimes used with peripheral devices. Peripheral devices may include headphones, audio headphones, earbuds, ear buds, headsets, external speakers, external microphones, and/or other types of peripheral devices that are external to the portable electronic device. Portable electronic devices are also sometimes used with various types of sensors such as a biological sensor, an exercise-related sensor, a medical monitoring sensor, an environmental sensor, and/or an industrial sensor. Although the improvements disclosed herein are primarily described with respect to earbuds and audio headphones, the improvements are equally applicable to any type of peripheral device that may be used with the portable electronic device, including, but not limited to, the other examples of peripheral devices provided herein.
The peripheral devices with which the improvements described herein may be used or applied may include wired peripheral devices, wireless peripheral devices, or peripheral devices having both wired and wireless features. The techniques disclosed herein provide improved methods of performing various functions associated with the peripherals including improved methods of: storing the peripheral devices in a protective case with the portable electronic device, carrying the peripheral devices with the portable electronic device, managing cords or cables associated with the peripheral device, using the peripheral device, receiving data from the peripheral device, transmitting data to the peripheral device, charging the peripheral device, and/or providing power to the peripheral device.
In the example of headphones, users of portable electronic devices often carry headphones, headsets, or earbuds with them to be used with the portable electronic device. Receiving audio signals or data from the electronic device through a headphone rather than through a built in speaker of the electronic device may provide a number of benefits including: permitting the user to better hear audio information in a noisy environment, permitting the user to hear audio information without disturbing others in the area, permitting the user to hear the audio information confidentially, permitting the user to get the audio information in a higher quality form or in a more amplified form. Often, plugging a headphone, headset, or external speaker into an audio jack of the portable electronic device disables one or more speakers built into the electronic device, or otherwise causes audio information to not be output through the one or more built in speakers of the electronic device.
Remote microphones may also be used with electronic devices in manners similar to those described above with respect to headphones. In other words, a user may use one or more external or auxiliary microphones with a portable electronic device rather than using a built in microphone of the portable electronic device, either temporarily or permanently. In some situations, an external microphone may also be included on or with a headphone. This allows a user to conduct a voice call and also get some or all of the headphone benefits described above with respect to the microphone. It may also allow a user to speak on a call without having to speak into or close to the built in microphone of the electronic device. In some situations, the microphone is configured in a position relative to the headphone such that the microphone will be relatively close to the user's mouth when the headphone is in or near the user's ear.
Existing peripheral solutions have a number of shortcomings. In the case of wired peripherals, managing and storing cords and cables is often an issue as they often become tangled within themselves and/or tangled with other cords, cables, or devices. Also, it is often easy for a user to forget to take the peripheral when heading out and/or to find the peripheral among other items in a backpack, purse, briefcase, suitcase, or drawer when it is needed. Often there is a time sensitivity associated with finding, untangling, and/or getting the peripheral attached to the electronic in order to answer or participate in a phone call.
Challenges also exist in the case of wireless peripherals, such as wireless earbuds and headphones that are used with portable electronic devices. Although wireless peripherals do not typically have the cord management issues discussed above, they may have other issues associated with storage, potentially being misplaced, potentially being forgotten, and/or needing to periodically be recharged.